Need help about amps.

[wingsdad]

Kodiak,

Bugera is Behringer in Sheep's clothing. Not necessarily a bad thing; I've got and had Behringer amps and gear, and it's great bang for the buck. But Berhinger gear has a rep for being less than durable if subjected to the rigors of the road. IMHO, it's fine for the confines of home/studio use. But it is what it is.

Tube purists will scoff at the suggestion, but if you want tube sound without the hassles, for the sounds/styles you've listed, then consider this for just over $300 -- check out the sound samples:

Tech21 Trademark30

T21 Dealers are tough to come by to check them out, but I'll recommend this online store. They add a year to the warranty, free shipping, no tax, and if you use a credit card, you can divide that into 3 monthly whacks to your card:

Tech21 TM30 at AmericanMusicalSupply
AMS doesn't stock it, but if you think you need more Oommph, I have the bigger brother, TM60. Fellow Fretter MarkB has one, too, and maybe he'll chime in here... Twice the power, 2-channel (switchable) with a whole different approach to sound shaping than the TM30, a bigger Accutronics spring reverb tank, a 12" Celestion Seventy 80, it's in the mid-$500 price range (new). Check it out, and the sound clips:

Tech21 TM60

I owned and played Fender tubes as a pup in the 60's(Geez...my long-gone '65 Deluxe Reverb for $169... ...Bandmaster, Tremolux, Super Reverb ) and Peavey tubes (Mace 2x12 ) into the 80's. I swear the T21 gets everything I could get out of any of those. Without the aggravation.

If you score the TM30 from AMS and you find that it doesn't make you cream your jeans like 'real tubes' can, you can send it back to AMS...they carry Bugera, too, but apparently not the smaller combo amps.

[markb]

<SNIP>

Tech21 TM60

I owned and played Fender tubes as a pup in the 60's(Geez...my long-gone '65 Deluxe Reverb for $169... ...Bandmaster, Tremolux, Super Reverb ) and Peavey tubes (Mace 2x12 ) into the 80's. I swear the T21 gets everything I could get out of any of those. Without the aggravation.

<SNIP>

My TM60 was originally supposed to be a backup for a silver face Vibrolux. It just sort of took over due to the convenience and sheer quality of sound. Fendery cleans, a range of "on the edge" tones and Marshally drive. It likes pedals too. I've had it for nearly 15 years now. I had to have a repair done to the power supply earlier this year. Smoothing caps fail in solid state amps too.